The experiment has been carried out with 10 lactating buffaloes (Bulgarian Murrah breed) in an interval of two successive days. They were kept in shade(first day) and exposed to direct solar radiation (second day) with ambient temperature not less than 30 0 C for 12 h. Rectal temperature(RT) and respiratory rate (RR) were measured at 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Both RT and RR increased significantly at temperature – humidity index (THI)- 77.83, showing that the lactating buffaloes are sensitive to heat stress and are not able to maintain their core temperature within the thermoneutral zone. The same THI had no significant effect on rectal temperature elevation when the buffaloes were kept in the barn. These data demonstrate that lactating buffaloes need protection against direct solar radiation. Plasma cholesterol and total protein levels tended to be lower during the exposure to direct solar radiation compared to the morning levels. Plasma urea level increased and plasma indol level remained unchanged when the buffaloes were exposed to sun. It is suggested that the level of the first three parameters is closely related with the dynamic of cortisol and blood volume fluctuation in animals under heat

This study was initiated to examine the effect of betaine supplementation (1g/kg) on hematocrit level, erythrocyte and leukocyte number, heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, plasma corticosterone, rectal temperature, relative lymphoid organ weights and average daily gain in broiler chickens reared in a poultry house under natural ambient conditions and high air ammonia level. A total of 100 broiler chickens at the age of 45 d were allocated into 2 groups: control and betaine supplemented. The broilers were kept on deep litter in windowless poultry house. The results of this study indicated no significant changes in terms of hematocrit, erythrocyte number, leukocyte number, lymphoid organ weights and average daily gain.Betaine supplemented broilers had lower heterophil/lymphocytes ratio at d8 (P<0.05) relative to control broilers inspite of the similar values of plasma corticosterone between the groups. Plasma corticosterone concentration in betaine supplemented broilers increased (P<0.05) at d 15, relative to d8. The observed increase in plasma corticosterone was not accompanied by increase in heterophil to lymphocyte ratio. These results are interpreted to suggest that the decreased heterophil/lymphocyte ratio in experimental broilers was due to the modulatory effects of ammonia on NO synthesis rather than to the modulatory effect of corticosterone.

Twenty four pregnant Danube white sows were allocated to 4 groups. All animals were fed basal diet formulated to meet their nutrient requirements. In addition to the basal diet, the sows from the II group were given the probiotic "Lactina" (500 g/ton) from the 5 day of pregnancy until the weaning of their offspring (35 days of age ) and their piglets were offered 800 g/ton Lactina during the pre-starter period and 500 g/ton throughout the starter period. The probiotic was only supplemented to the sows in the III group and to the piglets of the IV group in the same quantities as those in the second group.Both sows and piglets diets in the I (control) group were not supplemented with Lactina. Blood samples were taken from 20 randomly chosen piglets (5 in each group) at 5 and 35 days of age.The probiotic Lactina, supplemented both to the sows and piglets diets (II group) , increased complement activity in the piglets (P<0.05) at 5 days of age compared to control group, while the addition of Lactina to sows only (III group) or to piglets only (IV group) did not produce significant effect. Supplemental Lactina decreased plasma cholesterol level (P<0.05) at 35 days of age in II group of piglets. Plasma indol level declined in the piglets of the II group at the age of 35 days, while urea level were not changed in any of the Lactina supplemented groups, with the exception of the IV group where the piglets had higher (P<0.001) urea level at 5 days of age.Taken together our results indicate that the beneficial effect of Lactina on the nonspecific response and on the studied biological parameters is most emphasized when the probiotic is supplemented both to the sows and piglets diets.Besides, Lactina stimulated complement activity at the beginning of the neonatal period (5 day) and had no effect at the end of the neonatal period (35 day).

The purpose of this study was to follow out the influence of the prebiotic Salgard and of an herb mixture (rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano and cinnamon) on the growth performance and blood biochemical parameters of Pekin ducklings in an organic production system. In this study, 72 one-day-old Pekin ducklings reared up to the age of 63 days were used. They were divided into 3 groups of 24 birds each and sexed (12 ♂and 12 ♀) as followed: group I (control) fed a standard feed; group II-fed the same feed supplemented with the prebiotic Salgard at a concentration of 0.15 %, and group III-fed the same feed supplemented with 0.15 % of a herb mixture in an equal proportion (0.03% of each herb-rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano and cinnamon) from the first day of age to the end of the experiment. The individual live weight of the birds and the feed conversion ratio were controlled throughout the experiment at 1, 28 and 63 days of age. By the end of the study, blood serum ASAT, ALAT, GGT, triglycerides (TG), total and HDL cholesterol, and creatinine were assayed. The addition of Salgard to the feed of Pekin ducklings increased live weight with 4.94 % in males and with 4.67 % in females. The addition of the herbal mixture of rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, cinnamon to the feed had a positive effect on the live weight. It is increased with 3.75 % in males and insignificantly in females. A significant reduction in the blood serum concentrations of triglycerides (Р<0.01) and total cholesterol (Р<0.01) was established, which could be related with the anti stress effect of the herbal mixture on Pekin ducklings.

The purpose of this investigation was to study the influence of the prebiotic Salgard and an herb mixture (rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano and cinnamon) on the histostructure of some internal organs and on the intestinal microflora of Pekin ducklings in an organic production system. Seventy two Pekin ducklings distributed randomly into 3 groups of 24 birds each and sexed (12 ♂and 12 ♀) were used as followed: group I (control) fed a standard diet; group II-fed the same diet supplemented with the prebiotic Salgard at a concentration of 0.15 %, and group III-fed the same diet supplemented with 0.15 % of a herb mixture in an equal proportion (0.03% of each herb-rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano and cinnamon). At slaughter, material for histological examination was obtained from the ileum, the caeca, the liver and the kidneys of birds. Faecal content from the ileum and the caeca were submitted to microbiological analysis. The addition of Salgard in a concentration of 0.15 % to the diet of Pekin ducklings contributed to significant increasing the length of the villi intestinales (P<0.001) and diameter of intestinal glands (P<0.01) in the ileum and epithelial height (P<0.05) in the caeca, as well as with a reduction of pathogenic intestinal microorganisms in the birds that received the prebiotic and herb mixture.